1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, system and computer program product for performing self checkout. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method, system and computer program product for performing self checkout whereby security for a set of objects can be resolved while objects are being added to the set during the self checkout.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Self checkout involves a customer providing objects for purchase to a self checkout system on an object-by-object basis. Typically, as each object is provided to the self checkout system, the self checkout system recognizes each object and monitors a security area to determine whether the correct object has been transferred to the security area. In some systems, additional objects can be provided to, and recognized by, the system for self checkout after it has been determined that an object has potentially been incorrectly transferred to the security area. In these type of self checkout systems, security is resolved at the end of the self checkout by an attendant who performs some type of physical inventory of the security area to either confirm that one or more objects were indeed incorrectly transferred to the security area or determine that there were no incorrect transfer of objects to the security area.
The problem with these types of self checkout systems is that the integrity of the self checkout process is compromised. It is often difficult for the attendant to confirm that one or more wrong objects were incorrectly placed into the security area because so many additional objects were able to be provided to the system after a potential incorrect transfer of an object was signaled.
Other self checkout systems do not allow additional objects to be recognized for self checkout after it has been determined that an object has potentially been incorrectly transferred to the security area. In these types of systems, security must be immediately resolved in order for additional objects to be recognized for self checkout. While these self checkout systems maintain the integrity of security, they have the potential of slowing down the self checkout process.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system, method and computer program product for performing self checkout. There is a need for a system, method and computer program product for performing self checkout whereby security for a set of objects can be resolved during a self checkout. There is a need for a system, method and computer program product for performing self checkout whereby security for a partial set of objects can be resolved during a self checkout. There is need for a system, method and computer program product for performing self checkout whereby security for a partial set of objects can be resolved while objects are being added to the set of objects during a self checkout